In China, getting married is a big deal, and it means entering the next stage of life. In traditional Chinese culture, one of the essential parts of a wedding is the betrothal gift and dowry. The first time I heard about betrothal gifts and dowries was when I asked my mother where the porcelain bowl in our house came from. She told me that it was her dowry and also my grandmother's dowry. She told me that a long time ago, dowry and financial resources were used to determine the status of a couple in a new family, but now dowry and financial resources are the blessings and help of both parents to the new family. This porcelain bowl will become one of my sister's dowries in the future, and when I get married, she will also help me prepare the betrothal gift. This is an important Chinese tradition that I will pass on with my family.

– RHD

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